Following the footsteps
by Talhiri
Summary: The Star Forge has been destroyed but for the Ebon Hawk and her crew relanships have taken a turn for the worse! Umm, anyone else but me, think Revan finally snapped after all this? Mission's eyes were wide as she stared at the mess, around them. R
1. Prologue

**Following the Footsteps **

**-- Prologue --**

* * *

"She's not here. Maybe she's out for a walk, Carth? You did have that loud argument last night, remember?"  
The voice over the comlink did little to reassure Carth as he tore one of the mattresses up in an effort to control his anger. 

"Well, keep looking Mission," Carth snarled. "She couldn't have gone that far."  
It was four days after the ceremony for the destruction had come to withdrawal and most of the guests had left …most of them anyway. Carth looked out the window and shuddered as he thought to where she could have gone? Where _would _she have run away too…?

"Mission," Carth thumbed his comlink and raised it to his mouth, the tears burning in his eyes, slowly starting to running down his face as he realized what she had done, what he had forced her to do. "Get the Ebon Hawk prepped for take-off and go to Kashyyyk, with the rest of the gang. I'll meet you guys there…"

"Ummm, Carth…? What are you talking about?"  
Mission sounded confused and scared as she answered him, "we're all here for Revan – we're not going to get up and leave her here no mater what, you know?"

"I know," Carth replied, closing his eyes as he leaned back against the cold bulkhead. "But this is something I have to do, something to prove to her that I've accepted her as she is."

"Then, start addressing her by her real name, sonny..." That was Jolee who had joined in on the conversation from his on comlink; Carth knew the others weren't far from that action and he rolled his eyes, containing his annoyance as he replied testily, "I know, Jolee, I know that's she's calling herself, Revan now!"

"Then call her Revan and Carth …take it easy with her, she's not the same as she was before."

Bastila's voice was soft and quiet as it had been ever since Revan had come and literally dragged her away from the Jedi Masters in defiance of their so-called atonement setup they had created for her. When confronted by the Jedi Masters, Revan had stood at the Ebon Hawk's ramp and had boldly flaunted their ruling and defied even the Republic's commanding orders concerning her as a citizen of the Republic.

Revan had claimed that they, the Jedi and Republic alike should be thankful that she had had her friends to help her throughout their quest or she would have fallen to the dark side at the Temple after all she had been through and she had won the argument …eventually.

Carth shook his head, "no… I know. But this is something I've got to do. I'll come back with Revan or neither…" Carth broke off for a minute, fighting the rage that threatened to consume him. "Or I won't be back – at all..."  
Carth shut off his comlink and shrugged into his orange jacket. Revan hated the color, but Carth was counting on it – Revan complained that it blinded her and stood out anywhere and that's exactly what he wanted.

"All right, beautiful, Carth muttered clenching his blaster pistol on his belt. You've got my attention, now you've got it."

Carth left the room, his face set in a grim mask as he started to hike into the jungle, searching for any clues to the mysteriously disappeared woman. It was going to be a long night…

* * *

Two red lights glinted in the fading light as the orange coloured jacket moved away from sigh, as the mechanical voice spoke quietly into a comlink.  
"To hear is to obey, Master." There was a pause, "may I destroy the target?"  
There was silence and then the voice spoke up. "No, I do not want the target destroyed yet… they must suffer first… Both of them must suffer before we can finish the final blow, Trag – but first, proceed with your preceding orders."

"Yes, Master." Trag shut down his comlink and looked through the scope again watching the republic pilot hack a branch off the path.

"Soon, brother-in-law," Trag purred almost lovingly, as he stroked his trigger, "soon…"

* * *


	2. When the mighty fall, all the other chil...

**-- Chapter 1: When the mighty fall, all the other children come out to play --**

* * *

The most famed and feared woman of all time was on Rataka. 

She was curled up in a ball.

She was lying on the ground, covered with dirt and mud.

Her clothes where tattered and ripped, there was blood too.

Her face was smudged with dirt, and blood.

Revan was crying…

She had been crying ever since the _Leviathan_… since she had found out she was Revan, since she had saved Sasha from the assassins, since everything after the Star Forge parties. But that was not the reason she was crying tonight. Revan was crying for a much stronger, much more emotional reason – Carth had left her.

Carth had said he would always be there for her and that had been true up until the _Leviathan_ and the Star Forge after she had killed Malak, and saved Bastila. It had hurt when she had returned to look, too even speak, to Carth and Bastila.

Once Jolee had healed her enough, she had merely left the medical bay, brushing past everyone, and climbed into her secret hiding compartment and gone to sleep, bloody and exhausted. Revan stood up now, still shuddering as she sobbed, it wasn't fair!

She had saved the entire galaxy, she had almost completed her plan and then Malak caught up in his own emotions and greed had destroyed it all, nearly killing her in the process. Revan slumped to the ground and curled into a tight circle as her mind wandered back to the Star Forge before it had exploded.

_

* * *

_

_Revan swung her lightsabers in a high arch, her blue bladed lightsaber flashing over her head, while the green one swept low under her arm. There was no way Malak could block the two of them, he would have to pick one, as Revan recalled from her training. Malak picked the lower lightsaber, angling his red blade to catch her green one. _

_It was a mistake… Revan changed directions without second to loose and with a twist and twirl, she plunged them both into his chest, crisscrossing the two blades, as she formed an X of blue and green protruding from his back. He stared at Revan in shock as he tried to make sense of what had just happen. _

_"Malak…" _

_Revan backed away from him pulling out her lightsabers with each step as she staggered backwards. _

_"I'm sorry, so sorry…" she mouthed silently as he slumped to the ground onto his knees. _

_"Im… " Malak coughed, and if he had been a man without a metal jaw, Revan noted absently, blood would have spurted or leaked out of his lips by now; "impossible. I… I cannot be beaten. I am the Dark Lord of the Sith." _

_Revan knelt in front of Malak, her face paler than what her normal color as pale as it was. Her raven-black hair contrasted the color of her skin sharply and her green-blue eyes. _

_Malak noticed that they were changing color in the light, like they use to, dancing from shade to color, indifferently as the light from the attacking Republic and the defending Sith and the defences of the Star Forge flickered across her face. _

_"She's more beautiful than ever before… why didn't I see it before?" Malak cursed himself silently as tears crawled down her face as she stared at him, the horror and knowledge of what she had done plainly see-able on her face. _

_"The power of light will always be stronger than the dark side." Revan said brokenly, and brushed back a loose lock of hair behind her ear, as Malak had done so in the past; this is the way of the dark side, Malak, all things end in death. _

_Malak snorted in defiance or would have. His metal jaw and voice robbed him of that, from Revan – when she had punished him for Telos… for their son's death. He smiled at her, mentally and knew she could sense his wry amusement. _

_"Still… Malak paused, as his rib cage screamed in pain from the speaking he was forcing himself to say. To just defy her once more… "still spouting the wisdom of the Jedi, I see. I… I cannot help but wonder, Revan. What would have happened if I had been turned?" _

_Revan gasped as he gestured with one hand and paused several times, the blood from his other wounds bleeding even more. If you had not led me down the dark path in the first place, what destiny would I have found? _

_Revan shook her head as she looked at her husband, her lover… Gently she carefully pulled him in closer, careful not to touch his wounds as she sent a small gift of healing to him through the force and embraced him, much to Malak's shock. _

_"There is no dark side, Malak… It was all a lie, the only dark is what we feel inside of our souls…" _

_"Impossible, Revan…" Malak shook his head in disbelief and looked deep into her eyes. "The dark side is not a lie, it's real… we've both touched it… both used it to satisfy our needs." _

_Revan shook her head, "I never went truly dark, Malak, we know that. I was merely a woman balanced on the edge and I danced on it more than I'd care to admit, but I was never wholly and truly dark." _

_She sighed and leaned her head against Malak; "I am sorry I started you on this path." Revan shook with sadness, "but you chose to continue down it. You cannot blame me for the path you chose…" She finished softly, her voice stronger as she now cradled his head in her lap. _

_"I suppose… I suppose you speak the truth. He mentally sighed; I alone must accept responsibility for what I did." He pushed Revan away from him and she stood, looking at him with pity and understanding as he looked back at her. _

_His body slumped to the ground, and he closed his eyes as the darkening room took his vision away. The last thing he heard was Revan, falling to the ground lightly, besides his body, sobbing. He could just picture her now, her face in her hands as she cried for the friend and lover she had killed. _

_That she had been forced to kill instead of being able to redeem him; and Malak smiled as he felt himself drawn into the Force and he looked down the two doors and stepped to the right door, the door lit in white, down the path of the light… Maybe he could change after all, like Ajunta Pall… _

_Revan stood and looked at Malak's lightsaber in her hands as she looked down at his body. She couldn't see where his mouth was or what use to be his mouth, but Revan could sense him and she knew he was smiling at her …she just knew somehow. _

_Revan didn't know how she got back to the Ebon Hawk at first, for she had blacked out at least more than once from her injuries and being thrown to the floor or against the bulkhead at least several times. She had staggered into the docking bay as the doors opened to reveal Carth and Bastila pacing about. _

_"What are you still here for?" She asked in a dazed voice, barely aware of Carth's angry face, "I told you to get the Ebon Hawk and her crew out of here, no matter what happened to me." _

_"There you are! What happened?" Carth's voice was not quiet as he nearly yelled and Revan winced at the sound of it, trying to wipe some blood off her face. _

_Bastila didn't say anything, but she looked at Tali and she could only try to sense the pain that Talhiri was in. "We wouldn't leave you, Talhiri, we… no, I… owe you too much to abandon you here." _

_Tali sighed and at a point just behind Carth's shoulder. Darth Malak is dead, she informed them. Tears crawled down Tali's face silently as she collapsed to her knees on the deck. _

_"It's over, finally." She raised her head and looked up at Carth and Bastila – "there was no way to turn him to the light side. I had to kill him." _

_Bastila looked at Tali with surprise and confusion mixed on her face as Carth just stared at Tali as though she was made of glass and she spoke slowly. _

_"That's wonderful news." _

_Bastila seemed relieved, Tali thought dizzily. "Doesn't she know what I did?" _

_"I don't think anyone actually expected that he could be redeemed." Bastila raised an eyebrow, "I'm surprised you would even think of trying." _

_"Everyone deserves a chance Bastila… I couldn't stand by and not help them, they deserved to live…" _

_Tali thought back to Taris when Bastila had questioned her about her actions and the outcasts fleeing to the Promised Land. _

_Bastila shook her head and spoke urgently. "There's no time to celebrate just yet. I was able to use my __Battle__ Meditation to allow the Republic to break through the Sith fleet. The capital ships are in bombardment range!" _

_Carth had managed to shake himself out of his stupor and had knelt by Tali on the deck, one knee raised. He looked at Tali as she focused her attention somewhat on him. _

_"And that means we have to get out of here right now, before this entire complex comes down around our ears!" _

_Even as he spoke the Star Forge shuddered around them and a beam a few meters away fell to the deck. Carth shook his head and pulled Tali onto her feet. _

_"Everyone else is already on the ship." _

_"Talhiri…?" Carth shook the woman he loved when she didn't move. "Tali, let's move!" He gave up when he saw her eyes and the slowly staining blood stain moving across her chest. "Damnit, all…! I didn't go through hell to lose you now!" Carth swept her up into his arms and ran up the ramp as Bastila waited for him and Tali. _

* * *

"Hey, beautiful…" 

The tone was light and causal as its owner smiled coldly at Revan still curled up on the ground. Revan knew that voice, knew who it was and she didn't want to see him right now.

"I thought you were dead…"

Her voice was all cracked and barely sounding alive as she turned to regard the owner.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you… I've got some nasty toys here and they're just waiting to be played with.

He grinned at Revan's disgusted snort and cocked the rifle for good measure. "I'm not the little kid I use to be…"

Revan groaned, "hell I know that… You would never have treated me like this when we were kids, Kettr…"

He stiffened and hooked his booted foot under her ribs, flipping her over to stare up at him. "Don't ever call me that again! That is not what my name is!"

"Then what is your name…?" Revan whispered as he stood shaking with anger over her.

"THAT IS NOT WHO I AM!" He brought the butt of his rifle smashing down on her collarbone, stunning her. He went into a fury, beating kicking, punching her with his fists and rifle until her blood covered a fair amount of the area around them.

He shook as he stared at her lying broken and bleeding at his feet. "Not yet, Revi, not yet…" He looked up at the sky around them, a storm was raging and it wasn't going to be good to be out here in the open when it hit. He stood and slipped away into the jungle, leaving her lying there, dead too the world around her.

Carth trudged uphill, cutting loose another thick set of vines in his path. "Damn it, Onasi! You've got to go faster than this!" Carth berated himself angrily, cursing the weather out-loud.

* * *

Thanks toRobie-The-Illusionfor the name Kettr... And no, this isn't the entire name - you'll have to read more to find out the entire name. New chapters coming soon! R&R helps too create more! 


	3. Seeking answers, for questions unasked

**-- _Chapter 2: Seeking answers, for questions unasked _-- **

* * *

Revan spat blood out of her mouth and closed her eyes for a moment to stare up at the sky as she thought about the visit. He had lived after all... Revan expected that he'd have died for what he did, then. But he hadn't… which spoke something of his past and future. And as they were kids, well she sighed, that was a different story altogether.

"Milady!" Two large eyes stared into the face of several rakatans, "are you injured?"

The first one sighed and started to berate the younger one who had spoken: "of course she is, you fool! Otherwise, Dahius, why would the Lady Revan be lying on the ground in this condition?"

Revan was suddenly grasped under the arms and lifted upwards into the arms of another ratakan. Her stomach nearly rebelled at the action and she pushed Luo away from her as she was held from behind, vomiting her meagre meal from when she had left her friends and Carth had abandoned her.

"Ooh!" Revan collapsed onto her side before any of the ratakans could catch her. Her teeth were chattering and her vision was dimming, even though it was only mid-day.

"We must bring her to the Elders. They will be able to heal her…"

Revan barely heard Luo as he picked her up gently into his arms once again and started down the path to the Elders' village.

"No," she protested, "I've got to get away from everyone…"

"Perhaps, Dahius spoke up, in his deep voice, "but first, we must take care of the Lady Revan as we promised too before you left for the Star Forge.

"I… wait, what are you talking about?" At least that's what Revan had tried to say, though barely a mutter was all she could force through her mouth as the darkness closed around her.

* * *

"_Hey, Revi, wait for me!" _

_The small boy raced after the laughing girl, his face set in a determined frown as he ran after the six year old girl._

"_Make me!" Revan turned and stuck her tongue out at the boy, giggling as she ran backwards down a hill. She kept running further, unaware that the seemingly safe field was a deathtrap waiting to be discovered._

"_Sir! There's a young girl and boy playing on the mine field!"_

_The report caused Mandalore enough interest to turn around to regard the Mandalorian scout. "Is that so, Canderous?"_

_The younger Mandalorian nodded, "yes, Sir… What would you have us do with them?"_

"_Leave them. If we go out there and stop them from playing, then we'll end up playing consequences that we cannot pay right now."_

_Canderous looked around him before he grabbed his uncle's arm, "but they're children! They'll die is they stay in that mine field!"_

_Mandalore regarded his nephew coldly, "and tonight, when we attack? What would happen if they die?" "This is a war, Canderous, people die no matter how old or young they are."_

_Canderous growled deep in his chest and tried once more to save the little children, "they haven't done anything to us yet, Sir… they're innocent as of now. And if we captured them, we could train them. That young boy's a mandalorian, you can tell by the look of his features."_

"_Really…?" Mandalore turned to look at the earnest young man before him, and decked him easily winding his nephew. _

"_Take a squad out and retrieve the children, but I shall be lenient with you no more!" Mandalore hissed in Canderous' ear and dropped his nephew on the ground, booting him in the ribs before he left._

"_I shall obey, Mandalore…" _

_Canderous winced and jabbed a medpac into his leg as he glared at his uncle's departing back and spat blood from his mouth. "But one day, your title will be mine."_

_Revan had not even paused at the odd lump in the field, but he had. He looked at it curiously and started to dig around it carefully. What he found was no treasure to behold._

_It was a mine and not only a mine but a highly explosive devastating mine that would create a mini crater enough to hide a small shuttle craft in right where he stood should it be set off._

"_Hey, Revan, wait up! It's not safe!" He started to gingerly pick his way to her side as she reached the cliff and teetered on the edge of another oddly misshapen lump buried in the ground. _

"_Why?" She turned a curious glance at him as she stopped and looked at him, confusion spread across her face. "It's perfectly fine out here, there aren't any animals around right now and sides' we're armed anyways."_

_She patted the blaster rifle that was slung in a sling on her back, and the small vibro-dagger tied around her leg. True that no six year old should carry these weapons, but Revan was no particular six year old and when one lived on Deralia, you always armed yourself no matter where you were going._

_She took a step to the right and her foot crunched squarely done on the mine even as he shouted in denial._

"_No! Revan!" Time seemed to pause for an eternity and then the mine blew. He made a grab for her sleeve as the fire raged across the open field. He had just gotten a grip on her sleeve, when a stronger, presence from behind him pulled him away, ripping what little part of Revan's sleeve he had managed to grasp._

"_Hey, kid, you're going to be okay now." A rough voice spoke to him as he squirmed in the stranger's arms._

"_No, Revan needs me!" He shouted and bit the stranger's bare hand causing him to be dropped to the ground, with a startled oath and curse. He ran as fast as he could, but not before he went flying. Dimly he wondered if he had set a mind off like Revan had when a voice interrupted his thoughts._

"_You're right, he is a mandalorian…"_

_There was a snort of disgust, "obviously, and look at him closely, he's not just any Mandalorian either."_

_There was a startled oath as he was picked up._

_"Damn, you're right! What do we do?"_

_There was a short laugh, and the sound of a pair of knuckles cracking, "what we were told to do. We take him to Mandalore and then, we train him."_

_

* * *

_

"Ohh..."

Revan moaned, trying to move, but she couldn't. She lay there on the narrow bed for a minute, listening to her panicked heartbeat before she realized she was in a dark room.

"Where am I?" Revan's voice was barely hear-able, much less understandable. She heard a hiss and whispers of whoever else was in the room with her.

"Milady, you must drink this." A hand slipped under her shoulders and raised her up gently, titling a smooth clay cup to her lips.

"What is it?" Revan asked faintly, she may have been half conscious and barely alive, but she wasn't going to trust this potion that smelled of rotten eggs, and especially from a person she couldn't even see.

"Your only way to live and you must drink it now." Luo firmly pressed the cup to Revan's lips again and this time the woman drank the healing potion without hesitation or protest.

"Sleep, Milady, you must rest..." She heard the voice again and frowned as the potion kicked in, she knew that voice!

"Luo... is that you?"

She managed to ask before she fainted again.

* * *

…_Seven days later_

_Back under a pile of rubble and other things best let unidentified, the little girl stirred. She groaned as the memory came back to her. _

"_Over here!"_

_A shout followed her groan, "there's one here alive here." Revan felt the rocks lifted off her broken and bruised body. "Master Jonas, Master Kae, you must come quickly – it's a ghost of one of the murdered children!" _

_This was Revan's answer to her question as the man glared at her and pulled out his blaster rifle, not bothering to aim as he fired it._

"_No!"_

_Revan closed her eyes as she flung out her hand to stop the blaster bolt flying towards her. A tiny spark of light flared from her hand and shoot towards the leader, jerking the blaster away from his hand._

"_Stop this foolishness!"_

_A tall attractive woman jumped down in front of the five men, her lightsaber activated and blazing, its silver blade casting a silvery shine on her white hair and storm grey eyes._

"_Master Kae!" The men gasped and the leader coughed before he gestured to the man who had fainted. "She attacked us… caused Yunic to go into a comma and tried to kill me as well," He held up his burnt hand, the fingers twitching still._

"_A little ghost child did this?" Kae's voice was incredulous as she stared at the five men, lowering her lightsaber, but she did not deactivate it._

_Kae turned and saw the ghost child more clearly than before and she smiled softly. The scavengers had used the term almost correctly. The child was not in a substantial form, but…_

_Kae frowned and walked to the crying girl's side. "Who are you?" She asked softly, as though she were speaking to her own child, one that she did not have yet._

_She frowned as she realized that she could sense the child through the force and reached her hand out to touch the girl's tear and dirt streaked face, blood caked on the right side of her head._

_"Revan Coven…I'm called Revan…" The little girl sniffed as Kae touched her face and trembled, her little body shaking._

_Arren Kae had seen a lot of amazing things in her life. She had experienced things, and gone through pains that no one should have to. But this was more than she could have ever thought to go through._

_Her hand did not go through the child's seemingly insubstantial face; it was solid to her touch. The girl… Revan seemed to realize this as well, for the little girl hurled herself with such force at Arren that it knocked her backwards, landing on her butt holding the crying child._

_"Shhh… It'll be okay," Arren reassured the girl as she climbed to her feet and hugged the little girl. "Where is your body, Revan?"_

_"My body…?" The little girl seemed confused for a moment and then she smiled and squirmed out of Arren's arms. "…This way!" And she scampered off among the rocks as Kae followed. There she found the body of the little girl, a perfect mirror of her though her skin was pale… terribly pale and cold to the touch._

_Kae turned to Revan with an incredulous look on her face. "Who taught you this power?"_

_Revan smiled brightly, "my mother taught me..."_

_Before Kae could ponder this, Revan frowned, "do I have to go back now?"_

_"Back…?" Kae echoed as Revan gestured to her body, "yeah, back to my body?"_

_"Yes," Kae nodded, "and when you return, I will be here, all right?"_

_Revan closed her eyes for a moment and then she opened them and regarded Kae with a solemn look, "your friend... Jonas... he will try to kill me and you."_

_Kae was shaken by the statement, "Jonas would not do that to me, to a little child... Revan, he is my friend."_

_Revan shook her head," he hates me and he will hate you." The little girl disappeared as Kae sat there shocked beyond thought._

_"No, I must attend to the matters at hand," Kae shook her head to clear it and took a deep breath as she opened herself to the Force. "I will learn more about this news regarding Jonas later..."_

_

* * *

_

Carth had finally reached the Elders' village, but he was not in a good position. He could not talk to the Elders and although they could understand him, that was as far as communication went.

Apparently they did not know where Revan was, or they would not take him to her. Carth grounded his teeth in anger as he paced the little cell where he was forced to stay except for meals and walks around the complex under his two guard's baleful eyes.

"Where is she?" He snarled, jamming his fist into the wall, earning a glare from the guards outside of his cell. He lied down on his cot and tried to sleep though sleep was a long time in coming,

Carth bolted upright, gasping for breath. He rolled off the cot and reached for the skin of water resting on the table besides him. His heartbeat was racing and he was shaking as though he'd gone through some imaginable horror.

Carth slowed his thoughts as he clamed down, "Revan…" He whispered, "I saw you… where are you?"

His voice was a painful question, the anguish evident in his face as he stared out at the stars, seeing only the woman he loved in his mind. "Where are you?"

In the great temple of the ancients, Revan twisted in her sleep and thrashed briefly. "Carth… wait for me… Don't leave me," The woman thrashed some more before her healers gave her a sedative and looked at each other with worried looks on their faces. They would have to release her soon, the question as to where she would go was haunting them.

Carth had made up his mind, he was going to find her, and he could hear her in his mind ever since she had opened him up to the Force. He wasn't going to wait any longer. "I'm coming, Revan," he muttered, "you just live first, then we'll get out of here…"

* * *

More chapters coming soon! R&R please! 


	4. Breaking free

-- **Chapter 3: Breaking Free **--

* * *

Carth had made it out of his little cell without very much difficulty, though that effort was mainly due to the fact that he had Luo with him. Carth shook his head, the poor lad still didn't know what Carth was about to do really.

_"Kid's going to grow up sometime," _Carth thought grimly, and he shook his head again _"might as well start learning now." _

"Where are we going?" Luo asked the Republic fighter, who turned his head and frowned at him.

"Look," Carth snarled at the ratakan kid, "I don't understand a word, you're saying so just keep quiet, okay?" He gestured to the blaster he had stolen in his right hand, "I'm used these things to kill many times before and if you get in my way, I won't hesitate to use it on you, got that?"

Carth glared at the Ratakan who spoke some more and grounded his teeth together as he listened to the indecipherable language rattling around inside his head.

Carth twisted around and shot the blaster through Luo's arm as he shouted, a red haze falling over his eyes as he twisted the wounded limb painfully.

"Listen! I don't want to hear you speaking because I can't understand you and I'm sick of you and your people!"

Luo gasped in pain as he tried to break free of the mad human's grasp but to no avail. He gave up when the human waved his blaster again threateningly and pointed to the temple path.

He motioned, drawing an arrow in the sand with his foot. What he would have said, was "I can take you to her..." But Luo wasn't going to talk when the human was this mad. Carth let go of Luo's arm and inspected the arrow pointing to the temple.

"You'll take me there?" Carth asked looking at Luo, more glaring though as the ratakan nodded.

"Good." Carth stood and dusted of his pants, and motioned with his blaster, "get going and no sudden movements or I'll shoot you." He shoot Luo's left leg for good measure. "Move," Carth barked in a commanding voice, his aim sure and steady as he poked the muzzle into Luo's back, "let's go."

_

* * *

Many hours later, Kae rose from her meditating stance aided by Master Jonas who was now at her side, with a scowl. _

_"The child has not lived through the ordeal. You should have left her for dead, rather than risk your life." _

_"Jonas," Kae shook her head and nearly fell over as Jonas grabbed her arm. "She's a child who was lost. She deserves to live, especially after this… how can you be so cruel and cold?" _

_Jonas set his mouth in a tight line as he pointed to his eye which was covered by a patch, "I lost my eye to a Sith… I lost my Master to the Mandalorians and I had to submit to that's child's noting-for- good- father!" _

_He was yelling now and his face was suffused with a red coloring as he gripped Kae's arms tightly. _

_"I don't want to loose you either!" Kae sighed at this old argument, "Jonas, we've been over this before! He pulled out his lightsaber and pointed its blazing red blade at the unconscious child, "she should die for everything that has happened!" _

_"I don't love you… and after this?" Kae gestured to Revan who was stirring now, "I don't honestly know I could love you, Jonas…" _

_"Get away from her…" Revan's tiny face was staring solemnly at Jonas, "you want to hurt her and kill me, I know it…" _

_"Revan!" Kae tore out of Jonas' grasp and ran over to the girl's side, her lightsaber out and activated as she shielded the girl with her body. _

"_You protect her when you should kill her, Arren Kae..." Jonas' grin was feral in nature, as he licked his lips and glared at the child, "she has a dark and forbidding feature ahead of her..."_

_"I will not kill her and nor will you!" Kae levelled her lightsaber at Jonas who laughed, his features twisting darkly. "You really think you could kill me? Well you're wrong, Kae so wrong..." He gestured as Kae was hauled up into the air, grasping at her throat, choking for air._

_"I will kill her one day, and you will be dead as well, Kae..."_

_"Let her go!" Revan had picked up Kae's silver lightsaber and was looking solemnly at Jonas now, "if you don't,I swear I'll cut you down..."_

* * *

Revan was standing by the open window, as she looked down onto the beach. She shivered as a gust of cold air brushed her bare shoulders and closed her eyes as she leaned up against the wall. 

"What's happening out there?" Revan whispered as she searched for through the Force for the disturbance that had woken her from the drug induced sleep. She didn't turn as the door opened and a gasp announced Researcher Ll'awa's entrance dramatically.

"My Lady," Ll'awa rushed over to Revan's side frantically, "you should not be out of bed yet, especially with your arm broken and leg wounded."

"My wounds are merely trifles, compared to what I've suffered in the past year." Revan's voice was bitter and dark as she turned clumsily to face Researcher Ll'awa, her face eclipsed by the moon and shadows playing around her.

Revan's eyes flared with power she glazed without life at Researcher Ll'awa, "there is something growing out there. Something powerful …and it must be stopped before it grows more."

Her flat tone and lack of emotion scared Researcher Ll'awa more than anything else he could think of there and then, as she folded and collapsed like a child into his arms.

"You do not have yet the strength, nor power to deal with this lover, you hold so dear…" Researcher Ll'awa smiled ghastly as he laid Revan on her bed and covered her with the blanket. "I will take care of your lover, myself…"

_

* * *

"Carth…" Revan twisted and moaned, as she fell to the floor of the Star Forge, "I'm so sorry, I can't do it anymore… I can't live, not now, not ever…" But her voice was too weak and even her anguish and pain could not be moulded into a message for Bastila, Juhani, or Jolee to comprehend. Revan choked on her blood as it bubbled out of her mouth. _

_She was going to die here. She was all alone, Malak was dead and Bastila was saved… Carth would get the others out of the Star Forge before it was destroyed, the crew would go on living and Darth Revan would be forgotten, just a dark memory… Tali Rye would be forgotten… Revan Crovin would be forgotten… she would not… _

_"Revan!" _

_Suddenly someone swept her up in his arms and stared down at her concernedly at her. _

_"I had thought you would be long gone from here now, your wounds are not as life-threatening as you're making them out to be…" Malak looked down at the woman who had fainted in his arms and sighed; "you're emotionally wounded, right, not physically wounded." He closed his eyes and a glow of light enveloped them as they disappeared. _

_Revan woke up on the floor, just outside of the doors leading to the hanger. She didn't remember exactly though she remembered bumping and blacking out many times. She staggered forward with a groan as she squared her shoulders and stepped through the doors. _

_Malak watched as Revan was confronted by her friends, "good luck, Revan... we will meet again…" Malak called as he faded from sight. _

* * *

Carth stood at the entrance of the temple. There was blood running freely down his face, covering it in a red like mask. Two ratakans lay dead on the ground, their blood soaking the floors. They were two newly converted members from the One's tribe, only the black ring tattooed into their arms, marking that they had once been in the One's inner circle. 

Carth had killed them.

He had killed them brutally and coldly with his bare hands.

He was turning towards the dark side and he loved it.

His eyes were no longer the soft brown that she had so loved once were gone.

…The color of dulled flame, the color of blood lining his eyes where they should have been white, replaced all humanity in his face.

He turned to the door, to enter and pass through the forcefield, but he could not pass. He was thrown back again and again when he tried to enter and his snarls of rage where of no matter to the plain fact that he could not enter the Temple of the Ancients.

"You are Carth Onasi, are you not?" A ratakan had emerged from the temple and was now speaking to him, in Basic.

Carth nodded, not trusting the alien at all, "Revan said you were not able to enter the Temple, how have you gained access? Tell me and I may spare your life…" He twitched his trigger finger threateningly at the alien who merely blinked and spoke sounding amused.

"If you killed me, there would be no way for you to gain access into the Temple and the Lady Revan will die without my treatments for her wounds…"

"Then what do you want?" Carth snarled, firing a shot off several inches from the ratakan's foot.

Researcher Ll'awa smiled weirdly at Carth, "I want you and your power…"

* * *

Seven miles away, Trag lay on his belly watching Republic boy and the medical alien talk. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could guess it was somewhere along the lines of a deal and he was right. 

His eyes glowed mechanical red for an instant as his anger flared and he clenched his fist. He had been so close to killing her and winning, finally after all these years.

* * *

"I'll do it…" Carth was silent for a minute, "you release her and take me to her and I'll do it…" 

Researcher Ll'awa smiled, "excellent, I shall bring her to you and then when I call you, you will return here in an unmarked ship and no one, not even her will know what we are to do…"

"Revan, bring her to me…" Carth answered tightly, his jaw clenching as the alien re-entered the Temple.

"Together at last…"

He whispered lovingly as he sat down to wait for her to be brought to him.

* * *

"Master…" I must take more time than you had planned." Trag's voice was sour as he looked through his powerful scope, "there's been a change to plans." 

"I trust this will not cause me any undue attention, my apprentice?"

Trag nodded slowly, "yes Master, he replied firmly, "this will be worth the wait, I promise."

"Good. Go then and do what must be done." The tall man …if one could call him that anymore, the one who Trag called his Master, shut down the comlink and opened a channel to Kettrag.

"I hear and shall obey, Master…"

"Destroy them all and I shall free you of Trag's control…"

A slippery voice answered gleefully, "yes, Master, I will do this…"

The Master shut off his comlink and chuckled in the dry cold air, "I wish you were here to see this, my beloved Kreia… she will hurt so much…"

* * *

More chapters coming soon! R&R, please! 


	5. When love draws a line, friends die

**-- Chapter 4: When love draws a line, friends die --**

* * *

The energy field did not disappear when Researcher Ll'awa exited the temple, carrying a woman in his arms. Revan's skin was terribly pale and she seemed dead as her head lolled loosely in the rakatan's arms. 

Her wounds were terrible and many, of them were bleeding at that moment. Carth gestured savagely to the hovering medical sled by his side.

As soon as Revan was safely on the sled, Carth leaped at the rakatan's, murder in his eyes.

"What have you done to her?" He yelled, choking the rakatan in his rage.

"No… Nothing, that she was like, before she left you… she was already wounded…" L'lawa gasped and eyed Carth with a sly look; "if you wish for our agreement to die, then…"

The rage pounding in his ears and the roaring rushes of voices screamed at Carth to strangle the alien researcher.

Carth listened as one of the more clearer voices called out to him, startling his grasp, making Carth grip the rubbery throat all the more tighter.

_"Carth… kill him, murder them for me…"_

_"Morganna…? Is… is that you?"_ Carth's voice shook as red blood poured from her wounded body and she cried out to him, fine blood spraying over him.

"No… Carth, where…?" Revan moaned in her state of semi-consciousness and turned half opened eyes towards the shadows falling across her face.

"Revan!" Carth let go of L'lawa throat and rushed to her side, picking her hand up gently and resting it in his large hands. "I thought you'd never wake up!"

Revan smiled wanly, barely consciousness as she twisted her head to look at him better. "I'm fine, love… just fine." She closed her eyes and fell back asleep, still holding Carth's hand in hers.

Carth smiled and the red haze lifted from his eyes, though they stayed the dull bronze of flames still.

He turned and left without another word, the hover sled carrying Revan to the small shuttle he had secured from Admiral Dodonna before everyone had left, expect for him and the Ebon Hawk's crew. Carth engaged the shuttle's engines and they were off into space.

* * *

Researcher L'lawa watched with satisfaction written all over his face, everything was going as planned. Perfectly in fact and this was good, L'lawa mused as he turned to regard the two murdered guards thoughtfully.

Revan was slow to come to and Carth was glad that she was. He had secretly given her more sedatives as she slept, so he could finish his plans. Carth smiled, when she woke up, he would present them to her and they could start ruling and destroy anything in their path to true love.

"Sleep well love," he said caressing her head softly, "we'll be what we always wanted to be when you wake, love…"

Revan frowned in her sleep and shifted slightly away from him as he turned back to his plans. She muttered and tossed briefly, before settling back to sleep, deeper into her dream.

* * *

"_Here we are, Revan… home where no one can disturb us." Carth grinned at her as he carried her into the room, struggling futilely. _

"_Carth, no I don't want to live like this. Let me go!" Revan said deseraptely and he carried her to the bed and laid her down in it._

"_But love, you can't walk, where would you go?" Carht shook his head, and grinning sickly again, "besides love, I love you... don't you enjoy the power I can use for you now?"_

"_You're one of them!" Revan screamed; her eyes hateful and hurt, "you've turned into what we swore to fight Carth! You're a Sith now!"_

"_Ah, but love," Carth tried to placate his wife, "what's gain without sacrifice? I did this all for you and Chayna."_

"_Chayna's dead you fool, she's not coming back!" Revan said bitterly as she looked away, the neural suppressor cutting into her neck as she looked out the window down into the valley as the slaves trudged along working._

"_I differ with you, Revan." Carth smiled, "Chayna is alive and powerful!" He licked her cheek in the pretense of a kiss, moving in, knowing she could not resist him._

"_No, Carth, no…" Revan shook her head, "don't do this to me, don't make me kill you, I don't want to do it."_

"_Then don't," Carth told her as he pulled out his whip. "You've been a very naughty girl, Revan, trying to kill me at night." He smiled as he raised the whip and brought it down and down as she screamed and cried, blood pooling on the floor._

"_Now… you will obey me, love…"_

* * *

Revan screamed and arched her back as Jolee and Juhani burst through the door, Bastila following closely. 

"What's wrong with her?" Jolee asked sharply as he turned to Bastila who was beside Revan's failing body already.

Bastila shook her head, "shush… I'm trying to figure out the problem."

"Jolee, where did Carth go?" Juhani asked suddenly, her hair standing on its end; "I must speak to him."

Jolee jerked his head up and nodded, "we had better both go and visit him." Jolee' eyes glared death bolts into the empty air, "I've got some complaints, I want to talk to him about…"

Revan's eyes snapped open and Bastila fell back with a startled gasp before she pulled Revan's trembling hand into her own. "revan, we where so worried about—" Bastila suddenly stopped talking and switched tracks as she looked her friend, deeply concerned.

"What's wrong, Revan?" She asked gently and Revan turned to look at her.

"Carth's dead. He's dead, Bastila..."

* * *


	6. On the Outside

**-- Chapter 5: On the Outside --**

* * *

The three Jedi watched as Mission and Zaalbar walked with Revan between them towards the Ebon Hawk. It was really Revan's home now, ever since she had told Bastila that Carth was dead after she arrived on Kashyyyk with him and in intolerable agony. 

Bastila shook her head and turned away, hugging her arms to her chest as she addressed her two friends. "I don't care what the medics say," she informed them, "Revan isn't medically well yet."

Jolee snorted and eyed Bastila with a raised eyebrow, "oh, you think?" He asked sarcastically and sighed as he sat down on an overturned wicker basket. "She's physically fine; it's her mental state, we should all be worrying about. When the Jedi Council reprogrammed her mind or _tried_ too, the possible resistance and traps they might have triggered are unimagible."

"They would have been very powerful and subtle, if Revan used them unconsciously." Juhani spoke up, frowning slightly. "And I do not understand as to why Carth is dead… He's alive and healthy, we _saw _him the other day with Admiral Dodonna.

Bastila shook her head, "but Revan's right, that's not the Carth, we knew; even adding up for the Star Forge and the revelation of Revan's true identity. That man is just not Carth!"

Bastila slammed her fists against the rail in frustration and Jolee grasped her shoulder, "we'll figure this out, kid; don't give up hope yet."

Bastila's eyes swelled with tears and before she knew it she was crying, just for no reason at all as Jolee rocked her back and forth. Juhani clasped her hands behind her back as she stared out into the trees and jungle.

"We're doomed if Revan should leave us…" She whispered, though no one heard her.

* * *

Mission watched anxiously as Revan ate the last bit of her meal and stood up tiredly and slowly. 

"I'm going to bed," Revan announced and walked away but not before Mission caught up to her friend.

"Let me help, Rev, jus let me help you." Mission stood besides her friend, and Revan sighed as she missed a step and stumbled, Mission catching her before she fell.

As soon as Revan was in her bed, Mission and Zaalbar left, to find Jolee, Bastila, and Juhani.

Revan needed help.

* * *

Canderous watched as Revan pulled on her old robes and eyed her suspiciously. "We're running away then?" he asked her though she didn't even turn around. 

"No. We're leaving and making a few stops," Revan replied tersely.

She shrugged, "I am _not _running away, I'm merely saving the galaxy again. For the third time…"

"Then why don't you ask the others for their help? Bastila, Jolee, Mission, Zaalbar, Carth…" Canderous chuckled dryly, "the droids we know don't question you, and I'm bound by law and family too your side, sowhy not the others?"

Revan turned to face Canderous and a shiver raced down his spine as she looked at him. Her face… he couldn't even begin to describe the emotions on it, but he suddenly knew for some reason that she _couldn't _bring anyone else. That she _wouldn't _dare bring anyone else.

"Mission deserves a life, and she's only sixteen, Canderous. I was leading armies at sixteen; I don't want her to grow up like I did in battle, constantly sleeping with weapons under her pillow at night." Revan told her friend bitterly, as she pulled on her gloves.

Canderous snorted, "kid already does, Rev. We all do now."

Revan ignored him and continued on talking; "Jolee, Juhani, and Bastila need to stay behind to try to help train anyone wise enough not to believe that this is the end and that we're in an era of peace now. And Carth…"

She trailed off and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears, "we have unfinished business, that I must attend to before we leave. Get the Hawk ready; when I come back, we're leaving – no more questions."

She walked out of the room, Canderous, HK and T3 watching her. "Well I think we better not get her mad." Canderous remarked as T3 beeped and HK nodded. Canderous had all been too well reminded of what Revan could be like.

And he wasn't sure he knew what would happen or if it would be good or not.

No one could have foreseen what Revan was about to do.

No one…

* * *

I know this is a cliffhanger, butI'm working as fast as I can and this is actually a part one of two really. The next chapter is the basically a continuation of this chapter, but I decided to break it up. At anyrate, enjoy! And thanks to all the reviewers as well! Robbie-TheIllusion, Jedi Revan Onasi, Dalisilhea, RachilFayrchild, naturewytch, DarthBastila 


	7. On the Inside

**On the Inside**

* * *

Revan walked swiftly towards the great walkway and entered the area leading to the basket that would allow her access down to the Shadowlands below the tall wronksyr trees that the wookiees lived in. 

She did not stop as the Wookiee guard challenged her, merely raising a gloved hand and erasing the memory of her ever being there.

In the refuge of her hood, Revan's face was pale, paler than usual as she started the basket machinery and began the long descent to the forest floor. Revan sat back and closed her eyes; it was going to be a long and tiring evening when she finished what had started because of her.

* * *

Carth twisted in his bonds, screaming death threats to the people who had done this to him as he strained to get free. His face was flecked with froth and blood, the eyes bloodshot and bronze, the color of dull flames. 

He was no longer Carth Onasi worshipped hero of the Republic; he was no longer the man who had once loved a broken woman.

He was a Sith now, a servant of the dark side, all because of Revan…

* * *

Revan opened her eyes at the gentle jar of the basket touching the ground and stood up, her entrance breaking the momentary silence of the jungle before the creatures left her alone. 

She had no need of fighting them off with her power through the Force, the pain in her soul enough to warn the animals away from her now as she traveled to Jolee's hut, where she had found Carth hiding in.

Revan paused before the door as she listened to the screams and threats from inside the hut. They were hoarse and low, punctured by the occasional hissing and anger that sounded in the voice.

But that wasn't Carth…

Researcher L'lawa had pushed Carth's Force aura to the max, somehow managing to corrupt his …_soul _as a Sith spirit would have similar done if it had inhabited Carth's body, slowly corrupting his actual _soul _in return for her life. She shuddered and entered the suddenly silent room.

"Carth," Revan pulled up a stool and sat down besides the bounded man lying on the bed, "I see that you don't like it here."

"I hate it! When I am free of this place, I am going to feed and kill them all! All of the responsible for this!" Carth snarled as he tried to get free once again, froth bubbling at his mouth.

"Carth… Carth listen to me!" Revan bent besides her husband and grasped his face in gentle hands, "if you want out of here, you must listen to me! Carth suddenly stopped struggling and stared at her, the wild look on his face fading slowly.

"Can you do that for me?" She asked softly, the fear in her eyes and face, calming the raving man down somewhat.

Carth seemed to consider it for a moment before he replied; "Yes… love."

"Good."

Revan knelt closer to him and placed her hands on either side of his face, "I'll help you then Carth, before I leave…"

She closed her eyes and suddenly Carth screamed as he was pulled out of his body and into her mind. She pulled his Force form away from his body, though not killing him.

It was an old technique she had learned from Master Kreia at one point and it had served her well in the past and now.

* * *

Carth stopped screaming as the pain subsided, suddenly finding himself in a dark chamber; dropped roughly to the floor. He grunted and stood up, his hand reaching automatically for the blaster that would have been strapped to his side; instead he found a single lightsaber there. 

Carth unclipped the Jedi weapon and inspected it curiously; it was a simple crafted style, silver casting and the mark of the Onasi family stencilled into it.

He touched the activation button and a blade of brilliant red flared to life. He turned it off and on again, this time the blade flaring to a brilliant white-blue blade.

"I see you found a path to choose from, no?"

Carth whirled at the voice to find Revan sitting on a stone, watching him with grave intent. He had automatically brought the lightsaber up to slice through the intruder and now the blade shone both red and blue, the white licking the two colors like flames.

"What do you mean, Revan? What path are you talking about?" Carth demanded furiously, the blade pulsing red in time with his anger and frustration.

"Look at the lightsaber you hold in your hand, Carth." Revan motioned to the blade as Carth held it up to look at it. "Every aggressive action, any thoughts of murder or harm to another and when your anger flares it pulses brighter, the blade turning red."

"What does that mean, Revan?" Carth asked looking fearfully at the blade in his hands now; he tried to drop it, but the lightsaber was stuck to his hands. No matter how hard he tried, he could not release it.

"It means you must choose whether you will become a follower of the dark side or the light…" Revan smiled bitterly, "I walked the edge, but you cannot do what I did, you're not strong enough. Not like I was… like I am."

"I can pro…" Carth began but Revan silenced him with a look.

"What?" She asked bitterly, "You can lead armies and fight a war and save the galaxy? You'll go and kill their leader, finding out later that he was your father that you never knew? That after all of this you must sacrifice yourself to betrayal and hate, letting those you thought you could _love, and trust destroy you?"_

Revan trembled with suppressed anger as she stood glaring at Carth. "No," she said staring at Carth, "I am the reason the dark side was able to take hold of you in the first place. I shouldn't have opened you up to the Force on Rakatan in the first place."

Carth shook his head, "you may have opened me to the Force, but I was the one, whose anger caused me to fall." He reached forward and grabbed Revan's cold hands, falling down to his knees as she cried. "Help me, Revan;" he sobbed pathetically, "please help me…"

Revan knelt down in front of him, "I will repair the damage, Carth and then I will betray you…" She lifted his tearstained face and looked deep into the brown eyes, as she watched the flames in them flare once and wither away in front of her soul.

_

* * *

There was no dark side…_

_There was no light side…_

_There was only the Force and herself,_

_And there was Carth, this time…_

_There was Revan_

_…and Christina as well…_

_No one else was there and nothing else mattered._

* * *

It was late at night, when Revan returned to her ship, Carth walking beside her. She shook her head and smiled at her lover sadly. 

"You can't come with me, Carth… It's just not safe anymore."

Carth shook his head stubbornly, "the Star Forge wasn't safe… Malak wasn't safe, the banquets weren't safe. Nothing's safe anymore, Revan… I'm going to come with you on this new quest to save our home again."

"I love you too." She said and then Carth dragged her into their room, ignoring the startled look from the guard at the check-in-point who hurried away.

Carth grinned at his wife, "it's only going to get better," he whispered carried her to their bed and pinned her onto it, "trust me."

Revan rolled out of Carth's loose embrace and smiled softly down at her sleeping husband as she looked closely at him.

He showed the few remaining signs of the dark side's toll on his body, paler skin, the sunken eyes, but it wasn't as bad as she had feared when she had pushed him into her mind and out again.

* * *

She stood and dressed quickly, tucking the piece of flimsy in Carth's hand before she planted a kiss on his lips softly and left the room. Her hand touched her stomach and Revan closed her eyes as the tears threatened to fall again. 

She was betraying him again, taking herself and his daughter away from him.

But he couldn't follow her where she was going and Revan wasn't able to wait until Christina was born.

Abortion was her third option, but that was not an option ever that she could make.

Revan's shoulders shook as she made her way to the Ebon Hawk where Canderous greeted her quietly.

"You said goodbye?" He asked gruffly and Revan nodded, the tears running down her face as the big mandalorian embraced her in a huge hug and led her into the Hawk's interior.

They took off five minutes later, just as Bastila, Jolee, and Juhani arrived at the docks.

"We've got to go to Deralia and pick up this package; you and HK can go and retrieve it for me, please?" Revan asked her friend who nodded to her and went wit the killer droid to retrieve the package.

* * *

Revan's face suddenly went cold and hard as she turned on the comlink and activated it on a secret frequency. 

"I know you two are out there, and that Trag and Kettrag can hear me perfectly well." Revan said out loud, "I'll be waiting for you."

* * *

Canderous re-entered the ship with the package that Revan had requested him and HK to pick up. 

"Where to, Revan?" He asked and she looked at him, her mask pulled over her face, the mask she had worn as the Lady Revan and Darth Revan during the Wars.

"Dxun..." She said, "I have need of an army, Canderous and I intend to start one."

* * *

_They arrived on Dxun two days later, during mid-afternoon, as they trudged through the jungle paths to the seemingly abandoned camp of the Mandalorians._

_Revan carried the package she had gotten from Canderous and HK. She wouldn't let Canderous carry it no matter what he tried to say or convince her._

_She stood in the center of the camp and raised her voice, her double lightsaber staff blazing to life. "I, the Lady Revan who defeated your leader Mandalore stand before you to pass judgment on the Mandalorians."_

_Suddenly warriors from everywhere flashed into existence, as they closed their stealth fields down and one warrior stepped out of their large groups._

_"And the so called Lady Revan stands before us?" He laughed, "Revan died in the Jedi Civil Wars with the destruction of the Star Forge."_

_Revan smiled dangerous at the foolish man, "you only wish I had died, dear Uncle…"_

_He snarled in reply, "aye, after you killed your father I was robbed of my rightful title."_

_"Jonas, you are stripped of any rank you shall ever have again!" Revan spoke quietly and tossed the package to Canderous who caught it startled, "I hereby name Canderous Ordo, Mandalore of the Mandalorians!"_

_There was a startled silence and then thunderous cheers applauded Revan's statement as Canderous donned the mandalorian armour. She turned to the new Mandalore and jerked her head to what was just Jonas' office._

_Her uncle met them there as HK intercepted him, stopping short when HK threatened him._

_"Threatening Statement: Halt jungle meatbag goo! Gleeful statement: One step closer and I will make you dance the meatbag death dance."_

_A smile tugged at Revan's face as she turned to look at her shocked uncle who was seething and Revan laughed out loud._

_"Jungle meatbag goo...?" She gasped as she started to feel the laughter trying to attack her, "that's different than usual, HK…"_

_HK stood up straighter if at all possible and replied that it was a fitting category to place her uncle in and oh please could he eliminate the annoying jungle meatbag goo?_

_Revan shook her head as Canderous laughed shortly at the droid's behaviour. "No, I need him alive… for various reasons." She paused and turned to her uncle. "Get out of here and don't come back, or I'll kill you sooner."_

* * *

Revan sat back in her chair as the flashback ended with a sigh and groan. She had left Canderous on Dxun after a few days when Jonas had left, searching the Sith Tomb near the settlement. It had revealed to her what she had expected and was _looking _for as well. 

She couldn't forget Canderous' hurt face when she had refused his help or anything except for supplies for that matter. He had taken the armour off and spoken to her, face to face as they once had back on Taris in a dingy cantina.

He had even _begged _her to reconsider at one point, trying everything to convince her not to go, to take help.

Revan had refused sadly and she left heartbroken, leaving behind a man who was suddenly lost to the world.

_

* * *

_

_Canderous stared incredulously at Revan, "you're going to do what!" He shouted and Revan grabbed his arm as she hissed back; "keep your voice down, people are looking!" _

_Canderous shook off her arm and hauled her into his office, the second one in the main room. "Why are you running away again Revan?" He asked seriously and not calmly either._

_Revan shook her hooded and masked head, "I'm not running away, Canderous, I'm going to stop the major forces and then I'm coming back. I need you to train an army, Canderous, an army that will follow me and protect the galaxy when I return before they come."_

_Canderous hauled off his helm and threw it on the floor, "I don't want this gift then; Revan. You can't expect me to take it, just so you can run." _

_He took off the rest of the armour, and stood there in his old plain clothes, minus the big rifle that would have being slung at his hip or on his back._

"_Yes I can, Canderous." Revan replied and she tilted her head up to look at him. "You have to, if you want Bastila and Char to stay safe, Mission… all the others. I know you play the tough act, but we both know you really care for us all."_

_Canderous snorted; "don't you start going all mushy on me now, Rev and take off that damn mask and hood!"_

_Revan raised her hands and removed the mask, but not the hood as she stared at Canderous with an assurance that he would do as she had asked. He may have been named Mandalore, but Revan was still and always would be the true Mandalore in his eyes._

"_I leave tomorrow, Canderous." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, goodbye, Cousin – I'll be back one day …just wait, for me."_

* * *

Another flashback ended yet once again for Revan as she jerked awake, jolted by T3 as he jabbered at her insistently. She couldn't exactly make out what he was saying, but she got the gist of it. 

"All right, all right... I'll go to bed and let you fly the Hawk."

Revan lay down on her bunk and closed her eyes. She wanted to scream and cry, rage and rant. But it wasn't going to help any and she knew it.

The Ebon Hawk's engines flared and she was gone, just like that into the Unknown Regions.

She also knew what had to be stopped and why she had done all of what she had done in the past.

"_It was necessary…" _she whispered, _"It was necessary to destroy an entire culture and the galaxy to save it. Necessary…"_

No one heard her. No one, expect for one person... and that person was dead. Dead to the Force at anyrate.

* * *

Okay, I'm very aware that I left the last chapter as a cliff-hanger and it was evil, but here is chapter six - or at least it's the final redraft of it that I'm willing to do. One treat, we are going to meet new and more characters in the next few chapters, so make sure you've read all the chapters for hints or re-read some of them. 


	8. Conflicts of Death

**-- Chapter 7: Conflicts of death --

* * *

**

"Ha! And then she jumped up on the table and started dancing in the middle of the room, with a bunch of officers and the rest of the girls joined her! You should have seen the Admirals' faces!"

The exhilarant gang of workers were walking back to the barracks, some of them slightly tipsy. Nick grinned at Sarina who had a slightly foolish look of pride on her face as she stumbled into is waiting arms. "Oh, Nick!" She breathed; "it was so outrageous! The old fogies didn't even know what hit them!"

Nick laughed and grinned at Sarina, "well one look at your body and I'd—Oomph!"

"I may be drunk, Nick but not that drunk!" Sarina slugged him in the gut and ended up sprawling when her supporting escort fell also.

Sam laughed at the entangled pair; "I think we'll leave you two love birds to get home safely. Sally here's barely walking."

Nick nodded, his mind on other things like the beautiful woman in front of him, smiling coyly at him. "Yeah go ahead Sam; I've got some stuff I need to talk over with Sarina."

Sarina waited until the other two had gone before she smiled at Nick, "I want to hear about these _plans _of yours, Nick."

Nick looked a little surprised but excited nevertheless; "really? Well I'm sure we can work something out, Sarina…"

They leaned into each other, kissing deeply as they locked into an embrace somehow managing to find their way back to Sarina's quarters and to her bed.

Sarina fumbled with the door-lock on her bed stand as Nick removed her top and she grasped his belt with one hand, letting his pants drop to the floor.

"I love you Sarina," Nick breathed hoarsely as he stared into her eyes hungrily.

"I love you too…" She breathed and that was her last coherent thought as they fell onto her bed.

_

* * *

"__Revan…"_

_"Kreia… Or should I call you master?" There was a pause and a teasing, taunting smile; "For old times sake?"_

"I believe you surpassed me long ago, Revan." Kreia did not turn around as she spoke out loud to the presence who had suddenly revealed herself both physically and through the Force, letting her aura be felt.

"I've grown stronger yes. And more wise, powerful, all those things you could or _might _call me, I have become them and more."

Kreia smiled at the statement from the refuge of her cloak; "that you have, Revan… indeed. Interesting that you should take it upon yourself too visit an old decrypt woman such as I."

Revan laughed shortly, the humour hard in her laughter, "decrypt and old? Well I'll give you the oldness," Revan said as she swung her lightsaber, its black crystal casting an eerie shade of light, "but I won't give you decrypted, old master!"

Kreia turned and met Revan's attack with her own lightsaber, its red blade meeting the black blade.

"You lose your touch, _Master …Kreia." _Revan smiled, but it did not reach her eyes as she pulled out another lightsaber and had it at Kreia's throat before the old woman could react.

Kreia's eyes narrowed as she flung out a hand calling several lightsabers lying around the room, activating them as she controlled them with the Force but Revan was not surprised as she hissed in the old Sith language, calling on her own defence of the Force to protect herself.

Revan shouted and power blazed from her eyes and her body in full, black and blue lightening striking every lightsaber and fusing the internal controls within them.

Revan whirled and jumped into the air coming down behind Kreia, her lightsabers criss-crossed in the shape of an 'X' and a third double-bladed lightsaber point at her throat.

"_I think is where you surrender, old woman." _Revan hissed in Kreia's ear and was rewarded with a raspy nervous chuckle.

"I think so, Revan. I yield to your power and you."

Revan deactivated her lightsabers and clipped the two single lightsabers back to her belt and called the third floating lightsaber to her hand, but did not clip it to her belt, merely deactivating the cyan blade.

Kreia inspected her ruined lightsabers and arched an eyebrow at Revan, "that was the Old Sith language you used. The purest form of the language… even I did not understand what you said."

Revan shook her head in answer to the unasked question. "No, I'm not teaching you. You have already fallen far enough and learning that would not help you at all."

"Then what are you here for, Revan? What can I possibly give you now or have you come to kill me?" Kreia asked bitterly, her feelings quite clear too Revan.

Revan smiled and this time it was genuine. "Now that's part of my old Master who I remember, Kreia." She paused and looked off into the distance as memories of Kreia ran through her mind when she was a child and Revan looked hard at the old woman who stood before her now.

* * *

She was by all rights a Sith Lord. Revan should kill her now and end any more possible suffering before it could happen. "No," Revan said at some length. "I will not kill _you _but your _husband _will die before the night is over; that I can guarantee for certain, Kreia. _That_ I can…" 

Kreia laughed harshly, "You came here to tell me that you are finally going to kill that fool of my husband, Jonas? Please then, kill him and be done with it."

"I want you to teach again, Kreia." Revan continued ignoring the sudden silence of the woman. "I believe you know of Sarina Torneth, exiled during the Mandalorian Wars?"

"I know of the Exile yes," Kreia answered slowly, "and what would you have me do with the Exile? Kill her?"

"Teach her as you taught me, Kreia." Revan answered, fully aware of Kreia's bloodlust to kill. "I have need of Sarina in the future and I have foreseen events that even I can not stop."

"If you can not stop these events, then we should all be afraid, Revan." Kreia was suddenly very calm and truthful for once as she removed her hood to look at Revan with her milky blind eyes.

"Train Sarina and we should have less to fear, if all succeeds as planned, Kreia."

Revan was cold and the darkness seemed to gravitate to her now as she stared down the Sith Lord, "this time, it's more than just a war of cultures. It's the life of every one and yours, the galaxy at stake and I intend to stop it from happening."

"Then I will train this Exile, Revan. But now we should meet my husband and his friend he has brought." Kreia smiled, "you do know this friend of his do you not?"

Revan stared at Kettrag and Jonas coldly. "I knew him a long time ago as a child, the man and machine I see before now are two different beings."

Jonas smiled, "Niece, I fear it has been a long time since my weapon has fed on your blood."

Revan's face turned feral, "do not worry Uncle. Your blades will no longer thirst for me, after I am finished with you."

Revan and Jonas meet in the middle of the cavern, their lightsabers striking blow after blow, neither drawing blood, or letting their guard down as the hours wore on. Finally Revan struck with sudden speed, whirling from side to side and suddenly disappearing within the Force and the cavern around them as Jonas stared around him in fear.

"Kreia help me find the Jedi bitch!" He shouted at his wife who shrugged.

"You are a Sith Lord, Jonas… kill your niece or die; you are of no concern to me. Deal with Revan or kill yourself - weakling."

_

* * *

_Sarina sat up suddenly in her sleep, wide awake and breathing hard. She was panting and she had no idea why as she glanced around her room looking for the source of dread that had woken her up, it was hours after Nick had left her room for his shift. 

"Hey, Sarina! You okay in there?" Someone was hammering on her door and yelling her name. She shook her head in confusion slightly, trying to clear it.

"Sam get the torch, we're going to have cut our way in. And HURRY!"

Sarina tried to climb out of her bed, but the world lurched beneath her and she ended up falling out of bed and onto the cold hard surface.

She cried out instinctively as she bashed her head on the durasteel bed-table besides the bed and slipped to the floor, blood trickling from the small cut on her forehead.

"Sarina!" Nick was through the door before the Sam had even cooled the edges off and at her side in an instant. He cradled her in his arms as he called for a medic.

But this was all very distant to Sarina. She was floating in a sense of something greater than what she had imagined for ages. Almost like she was connected with the Force again…

She turned her head to the insistent shouting voice and the body holding her up. "Oh Nick," She smiled as he stopped shouting and looked at her with fear in his eyes.

"Sarina, listen to me, don't close your eyes, you can't fall asleep, okay?" Nick was beside himself in worry as she started to grow fainter and fainter.

She smiled haltingly at him and whispered words so soft and quiet he could barely hear them. "It's so beautiful, Nick… so beautiful…"

* * *

Revan walked up behind Jonas as he screamed threats and curses at her and raised her black blade and held its pommel to his back. "Uncle…" She whispered suddenly uncloaking herself from the Force, "I wish you dead."

Jonas swung his lightsaber over his shoulder to kill Revan, but she swung away from him and jumped landing in front of him, the other lightsaber flying into her left hand as she brought her right hand up landing in a crouch.

Her left hand swept upwards and met with her right blade as it passed down slicing the man in front of her under his left arm and through his head shattering his upper blow with the single doubled blow.

"Well met, Uncle." Revan whispered, "Well met." She turned to Kettrag who was staring at her with awe, fear and loathing. She clipped her lightsabers back to her belt, seemingly defenceless before the one she had once called friend as a child.

* * *

"So who are you now?" Revan called out in a clear voice as Kettrag advanced on her, her expression calm and at peace. 

"I am who I was always an, Kettrag nothing more, nothing less… Revan Coven.

"Really?" Revan's eyes seem to dance in amusement as she laughed shortly, "well I remember, a little boy who was much like you differently in so many ways, his name was Kett." She glanced sharply at Kettrag, "now isn't that a _very _familiar name?"

Kettrag shuddered as something passes through him; "Stop your lies, you whoring Jedi bitch! I will hear none of it!"

Revan shook her head as she came within a hairsbreadth of him, "No, no more games, you're not Kettrag, not Trag… you're that little boy I knew as a child, Kett and maybe the years robbed you of that, but I know and you know deep down inside of you that the boy still lives."

"I am not Kett. I am Kettrag and I have always been…" Kettrag suddenly found he couldn't say the name anymore. His name, he could suddenly not speak now, as he stared at Revan, a low growl rising in his throat.

"What have you done to me?" He asked, more demanded at length as she simply stared at him, her glance curious.

"I'm remembering Kett as I knew him; what are you remembering?" She asked quietly as she stared into his eyes with tears brimming in them.

Kettrag thought back over the years, as he was a child; taught in the Mandalorian encampment, tortured by Jonas and then refitted with droid parts, giving him new abilities, but allowing Jonas to control him.

Trag was loyal to Jonas. Kett was loyal to no one expect his friends and family. His family was dead, his friend from the past of his childhood memories stood before him now, never demanding nor begging. Merely asking him what he was thinking.

What did this all mean? What was he suppose to do now? Don the mantle of an apprentice seeking revenge for his slain master or become a freed slave and leave?

While he was thinking about all of this, Trag decided too come alive and seize control. Kett was suddenly angry; Trag and he had co-existed peacefully for years, ever since they were meshed together, working as one to comply with Jonas' wishes.

* * *

_"You are not my master!" _

_"You will kill her if you want to live, Kett."_

_"I will never kill Revan for you! I loved her as a sister, I won't do it!"_

_"I will do it, Master. I will kill this Revan that you speak of. Kett is merely afraid, but I can kill her._

_"Well done Trag. Do that and I shall work on a way to rid you of Kett's fear and make you the one in charge of him, giving you more power than you could wish for."_

_"Thank you Master. I will succeed." The left eye glowed red as Trag grinned in pleasure, the left side of his face smiled, the right unmoving._

* * *

Memories flooded into Kett's mind as he screamed and Trag attacked control, attacking Revan with all his power and Kett's as well. Where Kett could control the force, Trag controlled his body and used his droid strength to wear Revan down. 

But she was not fighting them, she believed in Kett. That the child she knew wasn't dead; that he would rise up and help her.

Kett couldn't destroy Trag without killing himself, and Revan was weakening. She had fought many battles before this, both through sheer physical effort and mentally, she was starting to wan before his eyes.

Revan wasn't invincible. She wasn't an outlet that the Force could use forever and she was going to die.

Suddenly Kett saw through her with the Force, she was with child and she was trying to save him!

* * *

"No…" Kett suddenly spoke, realizing what would happen. "You can't die, Revan," he said as he approached the woman who tripped onto the ground lying stunned at his feet. 

He looked at her, and sadness from his right side of his face spoke to her. And suddenly she realized what her Uncle had done to Kett. Kett was trained as a Mandalorian and a Jedi. Her Uncle had then broken him through torture and pain, meshing him with parts of a droid.

The part that was Trag was so fully intergraded with Kett that he was the life-core of this being.

She couldn't destroy one or the other. It was both who would die.

"Do it, Revan." Kett whispered, as Trag picked her up life a rag doll to throw her over the edge of the abyss that travelled on and on.

"You must kill me!" Kett screamed as Trag shook Revan harder.

"DO IT NOW!"

* * *

Revan nodded, tears running down her face as she called Jonas' lightsaber from his corpse the blade flying into Kettrag's back, slicing upwards through the brain. 

Revan dropped to the ground and rolled away from Kett and Trag quickly. She lay on the ground panting for a moment before she regained her composition and stood up, limping over to Kett's side.

The blade has unwittingly sliced through the left side of Kett's face and back, destroying the droid meshed into Kett. He smiled brokenly up at her, his right side moving the left dead and lifeless; "thank you, Revi."

"No…" Revan whispered, "you must live, Kett, you must live for me."

"Can't you silly duckling, I'm going to go and play in the Force now."

Revan smiled at Kett's childish statement as tears dripped onto his face. "Youwherealwaysthefool, Kett."

"I love you clan-sister…" Kett whispered back as he disappeared into the Force.

"And I love you clan-brother." She replied in the formal reply of the Mandalorians.

* * *

Revan stayed on her knees, her head bent, the black cloak pooling around her like blood. Her grief was sent into the Force, spreading across the galaxy as she cried in denial of her lost friend. 

Revan worked deftly, controlling her feelings, but not before one woman in the entire galaxy called out to her.

"_Revan! Don't do this, let me… us help you!" _Bastila Shan Ordo's voice floated to Revan as she reached for the bond that connected her and Bastila together.

"_I've lost so much already, I won't destroy a family I have now. Stay strong and keep safe, teach the new Jedi what you know… you'll need it one day." _And then Revan closed the bond that connected them, ignoring Bastila's cry and stood up and looked at Kreia.

* * *

"The Ebon Hawk and droids' in it are yours, old woman. Thy will help you as long as you help the Exile. Deviate form that course and you shall find your life is not worth living." 

"As you wish, Master." Kreia answered and bowed her head as Revan past her but stopped at the entrance of the cave and spoke softly.

"I know you will betray the Exile and corrupt many before you are done, Kreia. I will not interfere or try to stop you. The price you pay is more than enough when it will come time to bear it."

Revan left the cave as Kreia walked towards the distinctive shape of the Ebon Hawk. She found one droid, T3-M4 waiting for her and the other droid was no where to be found, but Kreia knew that Revan's trusted red assassination droid was on the ship.

* * *

Miles away, Sarina was being loaded onto the Harbinger for better medical care. Nick watched her go, his sadness a weight on his chest. 

Now he would probably never see her again, that she was being transported way for better medical care. A small tear slid down his face, he had loved her… marry her even, but not that would not happen.

"Goodbye… Sarina." He whispered, "I love you."

It was the last thing he ever whispered as a grey droid appeared out of nowhere and raised its rifle, sighting alongside down its barrel.

There was a single short burst of fire and then Nick dropped to the deck, dead as he could ever be.

"Enjoyment: Sweet dreams, grieving meatbag." The HK-50 stepped around the body, stepping on the hand that had once been alive, only several minutes ago, back to the ship; it would not do to be stuck on this worthless base now that the Exile was coming back into known space.

_

* * *

_

The word was whispered throughout the galaxy. A Jedi was returning to known space. The bounty on the Exile rose, she was coming back to known space. Fresh game for the kill and hunt; the bounty hunters sharped thier tools and weapons. After all, what was one Jedi to them?

She'd go down like the rest of the Jedi.

* * *

Revan smiled in the darkness of her modified shuttle, "soon Sarina, we'll meet in sometime, soon and then destroy this darkness."

* * *

The End!

* * *

Finally, Following the Footsteps is finished! Thank you to all of the readers and reviewers who looked over at this story. Here's to hoping you enjoyed it, even if I did take a long time to finish it. 


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